Kalvin Phillips must use Man City pre-season tour to put himself in transfer window as £42m flop joins kids in US
KALVIN PHILLIPS must use Manchester City’s four-match United States tour to put himself in the shop window.
The axed England midfielder was part of Pep Guardiola’s scratch squad who jetted out to North Carolina yesterday afternoon.
Most of the first-team regulars have their feet up on the beach following their Euros exploits.
That would have been Phillips’ plan too had his career not nosedived spectacularly.
Instead he joins a handful of senior stars and a bunch of kids for a fortnight in North America.
Many of those who have travelled will hope to take the opportunity to catch the eye of the City boss.
For Phillips though, that ship has surely sailed.
Just two years after joining for an initial £42million from Leeds, he needs a fresh start.
Phillips cut short his summer break and began training early to try and get himself back on track.
One manager watching his progress will be Everton boss Sean Dyche.
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He tried to sign Phillips from Leeds when he was Burnley boss and remains an admirer as he looks to replace Amadou Onana.
It is only three years since Phillips was voted England’s player of the tournament as they reached the Euros final.
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He was nowhere near making this year’s squad — even though Gareth Southgate admitted he had found no proper replacement.
With Rodri indispensable to Guardiola, Phillips managed just six starts in all competitions in his 18 months at the Etihad.
And when the Spaniard was banned for three games last autumn, the City boss did not trust Phillips to fill the void.
A loan move to West Ham quickly turned sour with a 6-0 home defeat to Arsenal and a red card at Nottingham Forest.
It was almost a relief when injury cut short his loan in late April.
Aged 28, Phillips is back to square one.
He needs to make the next fortnight count.